Wildcats Set to Face Iowa State: What to Know
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The bye week is officially over and Arizona is in full preparation mode as it will be getting ready to take on its toughest challenge this season in the No. 14-ranked Iowa State Cyclones in Ames at Jack Trice Stadium at 4 p.m. (MST).
Before the bye week, the Wildcats have gone 3-0 for the first time since 2015, tearing through Hawaii 40-6, Weber State 48-3 and Kansas State 23-17.
Last week was perhaps Arizona's most successful in a while, as it saw running back Ismail Mahdi recognized as the Big 12 Co-offensive Player of the Week, the offensive line get the "Beef of the Week" award, and Danny Gonzales as the defensive coordinator of the week.
Iowa State is also on an undefeated streak, starting with a 24-21 win over Kansas State in Dublin, a 55-6 routing of South Dakota, a gritty 16-13 victory over Iowa, and a narrow escape of 24-16 at Arkansas State.
It has been 58 years since the two teams last met on a football field. Arizona currently holds a 4-1-1 record against the Cyclones and beat the m on their own home field by a score of 21-12. The closest margin of victory was a 27-24 win in Tucson on November 19, 1966.
On Offense
The Cyclones are led by their experienced quarterback, redshirt junior Rocco Becht, who has thrown for 860 yards on 65 passes for seven touchdowns and one interception.
His favorite weapon to pass to is Brett Eskildsen, who has accumulated 162 yards and a touchdown. Benjamin Brahmer leads the team in touchdowns with three.
Iowa State also uses a very effective run game that features Carson Hansen, who leads the running backs in yards with 262. Abu Sama III is the second leading back on the team with 193 yards and two touchdowns.
Arizona has a group of sideline-to-sideline linebackers that have all the necessary tools to shut down the Iowa State offense, not to mention a rebuilt cornerback room that is not afraid of tackling and constantly hunts for the ball.
On defense
The strength of the defense may be the secondary, which features Marcus Neal, Jamison Patton, Jontez Williams, Tre Bell, and Jeremiah Cooper.
Caleb Bacon, Kooper Ebel, and Cael Brezina fill out a line backing room that will be tough to run against.
Iowa State uses a 3-3-5 defense that is stacked up to neutralize a spread offense. A big reason for Iowa State's success against the run is the defensive line, which was recognized by the Big 12 as the d-line of the week twice through four games played.
The Wildcats' offense will have its hands full, but it has all the tools that can put points on the board and rip off big plays to wear down the defense.
The Big Question
The big question will be whether or not the always dynamic Noah Fifita can distribute the ball to his receiving corps against a disruptive group of defensive backs.
The running back room is explosive, and if completely healthy, will cause problems for Iowa State. It will be up to the offensive line to act as a cohesive group and avoid any small mistakes.
Head coach Matt Campbell has turned the program around since taking the job back in 2016, making him the Big 12's third-longest tenured head coach. He enters his 10th year as Iowa State's winningest coach
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Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.